Steven Adams is still the great Kiwi

Basketball has become of of the fastest growing sports in New Zealand, thanks to Thunder center Steven Adams.

Adams, who’s only 23, will head home this offseason and continue to host his basketball camps. The basketball camps have become so popular there’s not enough room for everyone who wants to go to him. The Kiwi’s popularity has grown in New Zealand about as fast as its grown across the Central Plains.

Adams averaged 11.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in 2016-17. He had the third-highest field-goal percentage in the league at 57.1 percent. Adams just finished his rookie contract and will start his four-year, $100 million contract in October.

During his exit interview last Wednesday, Adams said he has plenty to improve on in his game, but he wants to focus on helping himself and the team get better defensively.

“Really still trying to improve on the defensive end, mainly,” Adams said. “Getting with the coaches and seeing what sort of direction they want to do.”

Adams had to adjust to teams packing the paint. He said learning how to get in the right spots helped space the floor better.

The team chemistry was amazing, Adams said. He said it comes down to having a good group of guys and he wants to enjoy himself.

“To make it this far is actually just amazing,” Adams said. “Credit to the coaches for putting us in really good situations.”

Adams praised the coaching staff after coach Billy Donovan and Co. guided Oklahoma City to a 47-35 record and the sixth-seed in the Western Conference.

Adams praised Westbrook’s play, saying he ‘wasn’t trying to separate himself,’ though Westbrook was on another level. He said he made the team better and he’s ready to get back to work.

As far as his hair, well, there’s a chance it might not be around much longer.